Celtic and Rangers are in no rush to complete their transfer business this week, with the Scottish window open until the end of the month, but the coming days could be very significant.

The Old Firm and their fellow Scottish Premiership clubs face losing their players to clubs south of the border or even missing out on their key transfer targets.

Both could be the case for Celtic. Firstly, their public pursuit of John McGinn could be scuppered. Sky Sports reported last week that Premier League club Brighton had opened talks over the 23-year-old but the club are understood to have stopped short of making an offer just yet.

Now Aston Villa have joined the race, with Sky reporting that the player has travelled to the Birmingham club's training ground for talks. McGinn is valued at close to £4m by his club Hibernian.

Celtic had three bids, of £1.5m, £1.75m and £2m, turned down for the 23-year-old last month while reports had even suggested he could wait to join the Hoops next year, when his contract at Easter Road expires.

"An agreement has to be reached with the player and the club, otherwise nothing will happen. It's pretty clear we have been keen on him," said boss Brendan Rodgers.

Celtic do, however, look determined to keep hold of Dedrick Boyata. Rodgers has confirmed that a 'firm bid' for the defender has been rejected after Fulham were said to have offered £9m.

“From a football perspective we don’t need to sell any players," he said. "It would be difficult for us to sell him because there's not a replacement there. I’d anticipate that if any further bids were to come in (for Boyata), that they would be rejected."

The Belgian impressed at the World Cup this summer and is attracting interest from the Premiership new-boys but, if Rodgers is to be believed, is set to stay in Glasgow.

Meanwhile, Rangers have announced another new signing today in the form of Croatian left-back Borna Barisic.